Community Service

Each year the Monroe Community College Swimming and Diving teams participate in numerous community service projects.  The teams believe this service is important for enhancing MCC, the city of Rochester, and surrounding communities.  Through the involvement of coaches, administrators, and student-athletes, the MCC Swimming and Diving program is working to make our community a strong one.  Below are some of those projects.

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Walk for Water- Drilling Wells in Sudan

The Monroe Community College Swimming and Diving teams participated in their first community service project of the year on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010.  MCC’s Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Project sponsored a 5K walk/run.  Proceeds from the event were donated to “Water for Sudan,” a non-profit organization led by MCC alumnus Salva Dut. The money is used to help drill safe-water drinking wells in southern Sudan villages.

The event, which began in 2005, has contributed over $36,000 for the purpose of securing safe drinking water.  This year the event raised over $4,000.  The MCC swimmers and divers collectively contributed over $200 for the cause.  Brian LaForest, a MCC swimmer and member of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Project, organized the event for the swimming and diving teams.

“Brian approached me and it seemed like a great cause, so he led the charge” stated Daniel Dubois, head coach for the team.  “It was a fun event and any time we can give back to the greater community we nurture a sense of giving, which is an important goal for our teams.”

The teams hope to participate in this event every year and look forward to many more community service endeavors in the upcoming year.

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The Giant Read

Three members of the Monroe Community College Women's Swimming and Diving team took part in the Giant Read, which was held on Friday, Nov. 5, 2010.  Freshman swimmer Kathryn McGowan and divers Leeann Kiskiel and Andrea Berger traveled to The Children’s School of Rochester (#15) to read to 45 first graders.  They read The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss to the enthusiastic students.

They were part of a group of over 50 student-athletes from the MCC athletic teams who participated in the event.  The children and athletes danced and donned large colorful socks as they read the book.  The event was the first part of a grant-funded program called READ: Hope in Action.  It involves a collaborative effort between local colleges and the Rochester City Schools to promote reading.

 

  

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